4th year and COMLEX Level 2...need help

[AspiringFM]

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Hi, I'm a 4th year DO student interested in family medicine. Let me start off by saying that I did not do well on step 1/level 1. My scores were 198/460. I'm currently studying for level 2, but don't want to make the same mistake I made for level 1, which was taking the test before I was ready. Im currently scheduled to take the test in 3 weeks, and have been studying for about 1.5 weeks so far. So here are my options:

1) take level 2 in 3 weeks or (or I can push it back to 4 weeks and still start rotations on time)
2) take August off to study longer and take the test mid to late August. The downside here is that I may not get my scores back in time for eras, and I'll have to cancel an audition rotation at a FM program that I'm interested in, possibly burning bridges. also, I'll be using up my last "free" month and won't be able to take a month off for interviews.
3) above option #2, but get a TA/research position that would give me enough free time to study, but I wouldn't be losing my "free month", however still have to cancel audition.

I need advice...please help.

Also a few more questions:
•how important is it to do auditions for fm and how many are recommended?
•will programs look at your eras app without level 2 scores?
•I'm planning on doing the acgme match because there are only a few programs in my state that are dual accretided. However, do these dual programs take DO's outside the osteo match? Or am I hurting my chances of getting into those by not doing the aoa match?

Thanks for reading! All advice is greatly appreciated!

 

[Dissected]

Also a few more questions:
•how important is it to do auditions for fm and how many are recommended?
•will programs look at your eras app without level 2 scores?
•I'm planning on doing the acgme match because there are only a few programs in my state that are dual accretided. However, do these dual programs take DO's outside the osteo match? Or am I hurting my chances of getting into those by not doing the aoa match?

Thanks for reading! All advice is greatly appreciated!

Auditions are very important..nobody can tell you for sure how many you should do. I would say at least 2 is pretty standard.

Programs will look at your eras app without step II scores. In fact I would venture to say that you can get a fair number of interview invites without step II scores, especially in the FM world. Take it when you are ready!

The third bullet point will require you to contact programs directly. I would call or email the program coordinators at these programs and ask what they would prefer (aoa or nrmp match). Calling them will get you valuable info and will familiarize them with you as being interested. Of note---you are no longer allowed to sign with programs outside the match!

 

[ShyRem]

I matched IM, no audition rotation. No rotations at all in the state I matched into (and it was ranked #1 on my match list).

Audition rotations are important if there are red flags on your application, or if your application is "boring" or if you are going into a competitive specialty or competitive program. In general, FM isn't that competitive (except for a couple very competitive programs). There are often FM spots open after match for scramble.

Step 2 isn't important to get an interview, but there are a lot of programs that won't rank you without passing level 2 scores - both parts.

Now for the good news: I thought level 2 was far far far easier than level 1. Your rotations should have prepared you well for level 2. Hopefully you had some good outpatient medicine clinic and OMM patient time where you were seeing patients yourself with attending oversight and not just shadowing residents or attendings. This will help you with the PE portion of level/step2.

 

[scpod]

I matched IM at my number one choice also without an audition rotation. That said, 7 to 8 out of the top ten applicants our program ranked the last two years DID do audition rotations. We felt we knew them better. Two thirds of our matches last year did audition rotations. Now, there were a couple of people that we didn't rank at all BECAUSE they did audition rotations and we knew we didn't want them around. So, it can help you or hurt you... But it's not necessary in every specialty.

As for the other, we interview a lot of people that haven't gotten their step two scores back, but its unlikely we will rank anyone in the top ten who doesn't have passing scores on both parts. Not every program does that, though.